A Much Needed Visit from a Familiar Stranger
by Cluny the Warlord 1992
Summary: Set after The End of the Beginning. Ruby receives a brief visit from a young stranger who manages to give her hope. A little comfort for any readers who do need it (Melting the Ice AU - One-Shot).


Ruby Rose woke up in the middle of the night to a strange, faint glow coming from the middle of her room in her home on Patch. She sat up in her bed and stared in awe at a small blue portal materialize in front of her. As it disappeared, where it stood, Ruby saw a small boy with strawberry blonde hair and wolf ears. As the boy turned to face her, Ruby could see a pair of light green eyes staring back at her. He put a finger over his lips. Ruby nodded, as though she somehow understood. With all of the strange things that she'd seen, all the misery she'd suffered, she wasn't going to question anything. The boy walked up and sat on her bedside. He looked at her and she looked back at him. He was close enough that Ruby could tell how old he was, somewhere around ten or eleven.

The boy looked at her and said, "My name is Cypress Whitemane. I'm a faunus from Atlas. I'm not really from here, not this version of Remnant." Ruby nodded trying to understand, "I know it may not be the easiest thing to understand, believe me, I know." Ruby looked at him and said nothing, "I saw what happened here. I felt every ounce of pain you felt. They were both my friends in my world too."

Ruby's eyes widened as Cypress continued, "I'd like to let you know that in my world… the tragedy didn't happen." Ruby looked at him intently. Tears started rolling down her cheeks. Cypress reached and put a hand over the silver eyed girl's heart, "They're both alive, Penny _and_ Pyrrha," The tears began to flow more from Ruby's eyes, "they told me to say that they're cheering you on. And, so am I."

Ruby raised an eyebrow, "You see," Cypress continued, "back in my world… that version of you made a promise, to wait for me, for us. That's why I'm here, I'm here because back home… when you need to let out the pain, I'm the one you come to. You come to find me when Yang isn't around." Ruby hung her head, "I can tell that you're in a lot of pain… so if you need to… I'll be here for a little bit. Whatever agony you have on your mind, whatever pain is in your heart, I'm here. I'll listen."

Ruby leaned forward and hugged the faunus boy tightly. Cypress returned the hug. She started sobbing, letting out all of the pain to a total stranger. Ruby had never met the boy before tonight, but somewhere deep in her heart, was a part of her that found him familiar. "I was too late to get help for Penny." She said, "Mercury… he tried to stop me, but I got past him. I ran as fast as I could…" She choked back a sob, "… but when I got there…"

"I know," Cypress said, "I saw it in a vivid dream, a nightmare. The morning after, I spent most of the day with my world's Ruby. I told her everything. I told her, my father, our friends, everyone." He tightened his hug, "Then I saw what happened to Pyrrha…" Ruby shook uncontrollably from her sobs, "… I'm so sorry…" He choked out, "… so… sorry."

"No one's… seen Ozpin since that day," Ruby said, "Weiss… she went back to Atlas. Blake… Blake ran away. And Yang…" She buried her head in the faunus boy's shoulder, "… she won't even speak." She sobbed again, "It's all because of Cinder… she did this… she… did this." She was lost in her pain and misery.

"I know it hurts," Cypress said, "I know what it's like… to lose someone I love." He rubbed her back, "I lost my mother, the same way you lost yours. It was an elder Nevermore… she died instantly." Tears rolled down his cheeks. "But there's one thing that keeps me going… when I feel every ounce of hope leaving, I think of my Ruby. She's strong even in the jaws of the Grimm. She's brave even in the ever blackening darkness present in the world of Remnant. Her words, her mind, her heart, all of them hold the strongest rays of hope I've ever felt." Ruby pulled back from the hug, "She's the toughest, most beautiful person I've ever known, and I love her for that." Cypress said, "I haven't said it directly to her yet… I always get too timid around her."

"Tell her," Ruby replied, "don't wait to say it. Jaune was too slow to confess his feelings to Pyrrha… and now she's gone."

"I've asked my Ruby out on a couple of pre-relationship dates already…" Cypress said, "I've shared a dance with her. I've… I've even kissed her, but not on the lips." Ruby was confused, "I'm saving the first real kiss for something special."

Ruby smiled, "You'll make a good boyfriend for her. I know you will, I can feel it." She lay back down, "Sorry," She yawned, "but I've got to get to sleep. I need my strength for what I need to do soon, for everyone."

Cypress smiled, "We're all rooting for you, even those of us not in your world. I'm rooting for you the loudest."

Ruby smiled and held the boy's hand. "Thank you." She said, "I won't let you down."

Cypress stood and tucked the sheets, "I know you won't," he said, "you never have."

Ruby smiled as sleep overtook her, "Tell Pyrrha and Penny… that they'd better not die… they've got… too much to do."

Cypress smiled and kissed her on the forehead, "I will." His body glowed a faint blue, "I promise." He faded back to his own world, "I will."

* * *

 **A/N: I wrote this as sort of a coping mechanism for myself. I'm a member of a few fan pages on Facebook and I keep seeing the Pyrrha images. Then I remembered a message thread I had with Dragon and Sword Master. I put up a comment on a promo image in one of the fan groups for the finale, I thought I'd follow up the depression with a bonding moment between Ruby and Cypress from my Melting the Ice AU. I hope no one finds this to be in poor taste.**

 **Fellow RWBY fans, cheer for our silver-eyed girl in the red hood. Volume 4 is coming sooner than we think… and I'll be damned if the likes of Kerry and Miles are going to drag me down and drown me in emotional sorrow. I've had enough of that this year. See you in a few days… with Melting the Ice – Chapter 31: Broken**

 **~Cluny**


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